You're probably right, but in my head cannon the Asian sidekick WAS the main character and we just see the story from the dumb American trucker sidekick, who of course thinks he's the main character. Like Kurt Russel's character is an absolute fucking idiot and its hilarious.

When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, looks you crooked in the eye, and asks you if you paid your dues; you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Have you paid your dues, Jack? Yes sir, the check is in the mail."